Hame and trace connector.



C. BLUME.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION HLBD AUG. 2s, 1913.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Y Il

THE NoRR/S PETERS C0 PHolo l l /NQION o c,

UNITE CHARLES BLUME, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HAIVIE AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

meente.

Application led August 28, 1913.

To all @071cm t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BLUME, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful llame and Trace Connector, of which the following is a specification,

The object of my invention 1s to provide a simple, strong, durable and eflicient con nection between hames and traces, which makes shortening and lengthening easy, prevents the clip from knuckling over sidewise, and is convenient to manufacture.

In the drawings Figure 1. is a side-elevation of my device; Fig. 2. is a longitudinal section thereof along the line 2 2 in F ig. 1.; F ig. 3 is a perspective view of a certain member constituting part of my device; and F ig. 4. is a partial longitudinal section showing the position into which sundry parts of my device are brought when it is desired to lengthen or shorten my connector.

Referring to the drawings, in hame 10 are fastened eye-bolts 11 having screw bolt 12 extending through their eyes, and threaded into the lower of said eyes, and carrying on bolt 12, between said eyes, wearing sleeve .13, preferably provided with radial liange 14. Clip 15, consisting of a plate doubled upon itself, embraces with its loop portion 16 wearing sleeve 13 above radial flange 14, and forms two parallel ears 17 between which the head 18 of clevis 19 is secured by horizontal rivet 2O so as to be oscillatable upon it. Between ears 17, sleeve 13 and head 18 is inserted member 21, having, preferably, projections 22 and 23 0verlapping the upper and lower edges respec tively, of ears 17. r1`he upper end 24 of member 21 is made wide enough (from front to rear) to prevent any considerable oscillation of clevis 19 upward, while its lower end 25 is made narrow enough (from front to rear) to permit oscillation of clevis 19 downward until it hangs almost,vertically downward. rl'he limits to which the movement of clevis 19 is thus confined, are indicated by its eXtreme positions shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1. The front edge of member 21 is preferably made straight and adjoins sleeve 13, while the middle of the rear edge of member 21 is preferably provided with curved recess 26 adapted to receive, and snugly '[it, head 18. It is obvious that by this arrangement member 21 serves to hold loop portion 16 along its whole length close Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Serial No. 787,092.

to sleeve 13. The rear end of clevis 19 is formed with horizontal projections 27, provided with eyes 28, the lower one of which is preferably screwthreaded, for the reception of screw bolt 29 upon which there is mounted, between projections 27, perforated head 30, integrally and rigidly attached to metal hame tug 31 which is provided with a series of crossbars 32 and a loop 33, and to which is attached, by rivets 34, leather safe 35 to prevent direct contact with the body of the draft animal. rlfhe perforated. head 36 of a trace hook 37, adapted to engage any one of crossbars 32, is connected preferably by a double joint, formed by vertical rivets 38 and connecting member 39, with perforated head 40 of a tongue 41 to which trace 42, extending through loop 33, is attached by rivets 43.

1t will be plain, without further details, to anybody familiar with hame and trace connectors that my connector makes it possible, as shown in F ig. 4, to lengthen or shorten it without any bending of trace 42. r1`his is impossible where tracehook 37 is rigidly attached to tongue 41, or where buckles are used. It will furthermore readily be understood that by preventing upward oscillation of clevis 19, as above described, I make it impossible for haine tug 31 toknuckle over sidewise at its front end when trace 42 is thrown over the back of the draft animalwhich knuckling over often causes well known trouble when the trace is reconnected, especially when this is done in a hurry or in the dark. On the other hand, when a harness fitted up with my device is hung up when out of use, the freedom provided for clevis 19 to oscillate downward almost to a vertical position, enables trace 42 to hang practically straight down, thereby relieving it of harmful bending strain. All the parts of my device may readily be made the same for use right and left, thereby avoiding the necessity of duplication of patterns and dies. Projections 22 and 23 assist in making clip 15 rigid, while projections 22 have the additional function of keeping out dirt, and giving a good appearance.

One of the principal advantages of my device rests in the direct metallic eonnection between the clevis and the metal hame tug. Heretofore the connection between these members has always been made of leather. A leather connection of this kind ries of crossbars; a trace; a tracellook; and 10 a link connecting the trace and the hook whereby a double joint is formed between the trace and the hook; for the purpose described.

CHARLES BLUME. Witnesses:

CARL STnovnR, LEA KnANsz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

